PM Modi Meets Putin At SCO Summit, Attends World Nomad Games In Bishkek

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin emerged as one of the key diplomatic engagements on the sidelines of the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Bishkek on Monday, as leaders from across Eurasia gathered against the backdrop of the wars in Ukraine and West Asia and growing geopolitical uncertainty.

The meeting was Modi and Putin's first face-to-face interaction this year. The two leaders reviewed the India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership, discussing cooperation across political, economic, defence, energy, space, mobility and people-to-people sectors. Modi also reiterated India's position that the Ukraine war must end, stressing the need to move from an "endless war" towards peace and a resolution.

The meeting underlined the enduring importance of Russia to India's strategic calculations. Moscow remains a key partner in areas ranging from defence and energy to fertilisers and trade, even as New Delhi continues to maintain its policy of strategic autonomy and engagement with competing global powers.

Modi's diplomatic outreach in Bishkek also extended to Iran, where he met President Masoud Pezeshkian and said India wanted to "expand and diversify" its trade basket with Tehran. The two leaders discussed the situation in West Asia, with Modi reiterating India's support for efforts aimed at ensuring lasting peace. He also emphasised the importance of freedom of navigation, commerce and the safety of seafarers, highlighting India's concerns over disruptions to maritime trade and regional stability.

In a separate meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Modi discussed expanding cooperation in defence, IT, space, education and pharmaceuticals, while both sides also looked to deepen trade and investment ties. The engagement reflects India's growing interest in the South Caucasus, a region gaining strategic importance because of emerging connectivity corridors linking Asia and Europe.

The Prime Minister had arrived in Bishkek after a two-day state visit to Uzbekistan, where he held talks with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. The back-to-back engagements underline India's growing focus on Central Asia, a region important for energy, trade, connectivity and regional security.

The SCO summit, marking 25 years of the grouping, has brought together a heavyweight lineup including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, alongside Modi and Putin. Founded in 2001, the SCO now has 10 full members and has expanded its agenda beyond security to include trade, energy, connectivity and digital cooperation.

No formal bilateral between Modi and Xi was scheduled, though the two leaders could interact on the summit's margins. For India, however, the significance of Bishkek lies as much in these high-level bilateral engagements as in the formal SCO agenda.

Modi also attended the opening ceremony of the 6th World Nomad Games, adding a cultural dimension to his visit.

Overall, the Bishkek engagements highlighted India's effort to strengthen ties across Russia, Iran, Armenia and Central Asia, while advancing its interests in energy, security, connectivity and trade amid an increasingly fragmented global order.